Air duct construction



Nov. 21, 1950 P. BRETT AIR DUCT CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 3, 1948 JNVENTOR.

Nov.. 21, 1950 L. P. BRETT AIR DUCT CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMarch 3, 1948 INVENTOR. W

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR DUCT CONSTRUCTION Lewis` P. Brett, FortWayne, Ind., assigno-.-to A.,B. C. .Sheet Metal Go., Inc.,.a;cotporationzof. Indiana Application March 3, 1948,'S'erialNo. 12,701

9; Claims'. (Cl. 285-485) This invention reiates to improvements inmember being in section' on'th'e iite- ::x-:cof: metal parts forconstructing' air 'ducts such-asare Fig: 7 usedn heatingan'd ventilatingsystms'. Fi'g; 7 isanen'd elevati'or'al view of the-dueti Customarly;metal' airducts' are" made up assemblage; complete in-a-shop inaccordance with furnished Fig. 8 is' a fragmentary sid elevational viewrdimensions, in readiiess` for installation in a' projected from Fig 7;building more or less remotefrom the shop where Fi'g. 9- s anotherfragmentary sidee'levational constructed; necessitating` transportationto the view'projected from Fig- 7; situs such prefabr-icated-air ducts-'generally are Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view in `sectiom unwieldy'and frequently occasion difiiculty in 1 on-the-li'ne y -y f Fig: 7;and". fitting the various sections together during in- Fig: 11 i's` afragmentary elevational' view' in& stallaton. section `onthe ii'e 2-e ofFig. 7'.

O'ne of theobjects of' the-instant invention is The illustrativeembodiment of the invention' to provideapractical knockdownair ductconconsists-of an air duct formed of a series of'si'mistituted ofvarious partsthat are-transported in 4 lar` secti'ons' A ar'ranged'longitudinally with re conpact form to besubsequently' fabricated byspect to each otherin` sequence, their opposing' an artsan into dcts ofvarious dimensiors ends being enco'mpassed 'and connect'edby consuitably to-fit into` place-whererequiredz nectorszB. i w

Another' object of the inventi'on is* toafford The sections are `formedof`sheet metal strips* an' air duet formed-= of a-series oftubul'armetal C`-C' that are'initaHy prepared'to have=unisections,andconnectors'therefor; const'ructed-so form Width and of la'lengthselected according 'to:

that` air tight jointsare effectedbetween the the size or capacity ofthe duct to be formedahutting-` edges of 'the metalsheets iorming eachThe strips have formed' in each side thereof* a section, and' betweenthe` opposing ends of said series' ofnotches'D" at equa ly sp sections;and'adjacent each side' of 'the strips' are forme& And a further objectof the invention is to a series' of protrusions constituting latches E;provide means readl'y attach'ab1'e'- tothe conspaced' apart from eachother, and"l'ocated alter nectors by which to' support andstrengthen-the nately With respect to said" notches. The sec series ofconnected sections- When assembiedi` tions"` A` are formed by foldingthestripsinto:

othervobjgcts and advantages th m rectangular formationso the ends ofthe strips appear in=the following description. L are oppostel'y:disposed, as indicated* in Figa. An illust'rative embodment of theinvention is atLF; i show-n in the accompanying draw-ings, n whichz-Prefer y; Strip& C-Cf' have` P Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan' vewofagroup marks ori scoresG (Fig. 1) that extend to the` of sheet metalstrips as initialIy shaped through corresponding* opposite notches -Din' the sides;` Whicha pair of "ducts and their connectors are of:the-strip& the notches flnd cor s 'be n forr for-med; the purpose of'aidingsthe artisan iniicuttng the;

Fig. 2 is a similar plan viewof the` strips strips to desred lengths andin folding thesstripsr shown in Fig; I with' the'co'nector stripbenti'nto* whenshaping: thei duet* sections: Other' marks shape foruse;` 0 or-scores-:H (Fig: 2) are' madel'engthwise-on the Fig. 3 is afragmentary elevational view of-the strips&+06that'extend'parallel'withand spaced ducts Secured together by the connecter;shown suitabiy distant'fromthecorresponding'sides of: in section; V thestrip& along which the' end. margins ofthe" Fg. i'is a fragmentaryperspective view of sevduct sections are bent slightly inwardto-reduce'oral ducts provided'` with connectors for securi'ng the .dimensons` of:the ends` ofsthe' sections thus their ahutting edges'i'npl'aceand' otherconnectofaci'litateinsertion oftheir ends into;the-:con=- torsoforsecuring theopposing' en'ds of the ducts nectors'B. (F'g: 3). togetherand including also' means for-r support The strips I(Figc):fortmaking'the'oonnectorsing-*andstiffeningrtheassemblageoffducts;`por as initially shaped are ofuniformwidth iandof tiene being broken away and in section; any desiredlength, each side' of the'strip having Fig; 5- is another fragment'aryperspective madetherei'n a series* of slots J; equally spacedf: drawnto' anain'creased scale'; of'the joint apart from each other, and acorrespondingtse fcrme'd connectng: the ducts together'- ries ofi'atchopenings K'intervening between thet Gi is: fragmentarytop plan' View:ofthe Slots; The-margina-lportions of 'the strip ,-hayin joint betweenthe duet sections, thesupporting thelatch openings K', are folded;backwardiirs- 'I d over the midportion and then outwardly to form earsL, the arrangement being such that when the ends of the sections A areinserted between the backwardly and outwardly extending folds of theconnecter, the latches E have looking engagement with the ears throughthe latch openings K therein. The slots J permit the ears to be folded,facilitates severing of the connector strip in desired lengths andfolding of the connecter to fit around the opposing ends of the sectionsas they are assembled.

The opposing ends F of the strips C--C' (Fig. 4) that form the sectionsA are seoured in place by other connectors B' that have lookingengagement with latches E' that project from the abutting end margins ofthe duct strips (Fig. 7.)

As a supporting means for the air duct there is provided a metallicstrip M (Figs. 4-5) having opposing inturned fianges N that haveopposite transverse slots O at suitable intervals permitting severanceof the strip readily into desired lengths. The supports are applied tothe connectors B by sliding its 'fianges between the connecter and theadjacent outer walls of the duct sections. A portion of the supportingstrips continue upwardly beyond the connecter and are anchored by anysuitable means' to the building structure (not shown) where the duct isinstalled. These strips are' 'also used as covers P- by applying asuitable length of the strip to the connector where the ends thereofabut, as indicated by Q (Fig. 4) In this manner leakage of air from theduct is circumvented.

Another feature of the structure is a stiffening cleat R, formed ofanother metallic strip having outwardly extending folded anges S, themidportion of the strip being V-shaped. The cleats are attached to theconnectors by sliding them astride the corresponding connectors into therequired position thereon before the connectors are bent into shape forlooking engagement with the duct sections.

v In utilizing the invention the strips C-C' for making the ductsections A are initially prepared flat and of sufiicient or more thansufcient length to form the walls of the sections to be installed, sothat an artisan may readily cut from the strip, by use of ordinaryshears, any length thereof to suit the size of the duct sections asrequired.

: The connectors are prepared in convenient lengths for transport andare subsequently severed by use of shears to suitable lengths and bentto fit the duct sections to` which they are applied. The strips M, forthe supporting means and covers P, and the cleats R are likewiseinitially prepared in convenient lengths and cut to proper lengths asthey are applied to the duct Where installed.

I By prepa'ring the various parts of the structure separately insuitable sizes for transport and subsequent assemblage by an artisan atthe place of installation effects an economy as well as convenience inshaping and fitting the air duct to suit the requirements.

Variations from the particular construction above disclosed may beresorted to by the exercise of skill in the art without departu're fromthe spirit or scope of the invention.

I What I claim is:

*11 An air duct structure consisting of a series of alined duct sectionsformed of folded sheet metal strips provided with protruding latchesarranged in a series adjacent each end of the duct sections and alongthe marginal opposing ends of the strips of which said sections areformed,

connectors for coupling the opposing ends of said sections havingengagement with the corresponding latches on the end portions thereof,other similar connectors securing the opposing marginal ends of thestrips of which the sections are formed, supporting means for the ducthaving inturned flanges provided with intermittent slots, and engageableselectively with the connectors, and cleats formed of other stripshaving outwardly extending backfolded flanges by which the cleats areseleotively secured to said connectors.

2. An air duct consisting of alined duct sections formed of folded sheetmetal strips, the lateral marginal portions of which have protuberancesconstituting latches, the opposing end marginal portions of the stripshaving similar latches, a connector for coupling the ends of saidsections formed of another strip, the lateral margins of which areprovided with folded perforated ears that have looking engagement withthe corresponding latches when said sections and the connector areassembled, other similar connectors for coupling the opposing ends ofthe duct strips by engagement with the latches thereon, a third stripthe sides of which are inturned and have engagement with said connectorsby which to support the duct, or cover the abutting ends of theconnectors, and a cleat formed of sheet metal having inturned oppositefianges disposed exteriorly astride the connectors selectively whereneeded to stiffen the duct structure.

3. An air duct consisting of alined duct sections formed of folded sheetmetal strips, the lateral marginal portions of which have protuberancesconstituting latches, the opposing end marginal portions of the stripshaving similar latches, a Connector for coupling the ends of saidsections formed of another strip, the lateral margins of which areprovided with backwardly folded perforated ears that have lookingengagement with the corresponding latches when said sections and theConnector are assembled, and other similar connectors for coupling theopposing ends of the duct strips by engagement with the latches thereon.

4. An air duct consisting of alined duct sections each formed of afolded sheet metal strip the lateral and opposing end portions of whichhave protuberances constituting latches, connectors formed of othersheet metal strips the opposite sides of which have backwardly foldedears pro- I vided with openings therein for engagement with thecorresponding latches, whereby said sections are coupled together, andother similar connectors for securing in place the opposing ends of thestrips for said sections.

5. An air duct Construction consisting of alined sections formed ofsheet metal, the end portions of which are provided with latches formedthereon, and connectors for coupling said sections sequentially end toend, said connectors consisting of sheet metal strips the oppositemarginal edges of which are folded backwardly and shaped to provideoutwardly folded perforated ears, the connectors being bent to encompassthe opposing ends of said sections correspondingly and secure theadjacent sections together by having looking engagement with saidlatches.

6. The Construction as defined in claim 5 including another sheet metalstrip having laterally inturned fianges exteriorly engageable with saidconnectors to provide supporting means for said sections.

7. In Knockdown air duct Construction, sheet metal strips the marginaledges of which are provided With protrusions constituting latch members,said strips being adapted, to be folded to form duct sections, and otherstrips the' lateral margins of which are folded backwardly over themidportions the'eof, provided with outwardly extending perforated ears,and constituting connectors for joining the opposing ends of saidsections and securing the opposing ends of the firstmentioned stripstogether, said ears having locking engagement With the correspondinglatch members.

8. In a Knockdown air duct Construction, sheet metal strips havingspaced parallel lateral scores and longitudinal scores parallel with andadjacent the sides thereof and provided with a series of protrusionsadjacent each side of the strip constituting latch members, said stripsbeing adapted to be shaped to form air duet sections, and other stripshaving backwardly folded sides provided with outwardly extendingperforated ears adapted to form connectors for coupling the opposingends of said sections when alined, by looking engagement of the earswith said latch members.

LEWIS P'. BRETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: 7

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,185,400 Hefney May ;30, 19161,368,985 Storie Feb. 15, 1921 1,661,674 Osborn Mar. 6, 1928 2,396,086Conaway Mar. 5, 1946

